Euphorbia plant named ‘Ineupdidaz’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Euphorbia  plant named ‘Ineupdidaz’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and inflorescences with multiple white-colored flower bracts.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia hypericifolia.

Cultivar denomination: ‘INEUPDIDAZ’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia hypericifolia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Ineupdidaz’.

The new Euphorbia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heidesheim, Germany. The objective of the program is to create and develop new Euphorbia plants with upright plant habit and multiple white-colored flower bracts per inflorescence.

The new Euphorbia plant originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor in July, 2011 of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia hypericifolia identified as code number ch10-2100-10, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Euphorbia hypericifolia identified as code number ch10-2101-21, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Euphorbia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heidesheim, Germany in August, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Euphorbia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Gensingen, Germany since October, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Euphorbia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Euphorbia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Ineupdidaz’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Ineupdidaz’ as a new and distinct Euphorbia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Inflorescences with multiple white-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Euphorbia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia have more flower bracts per         inflorescence than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Euphorbia and the female parent selection         differ in flower bract color as plants of the female parent         selection have grey-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Euphorbia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia are more compact than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Euphorbia are more freely branching and         denser than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Euphorbia flower earlier than plants of the         male parent selection.

Plants of the new Euphorbia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia hypericifolia ‘Inneuphdia’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,567. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Heidesheim, Germany, plants of the new Euphorbia differed from plants of ‘Inneuphdia’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia were more compact than plants of         ‘Inneuphdia’.     -   2. Plants of the new Euphorbia were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Inneuphdia’.     -   3. Plants of the new Euphorbia had more flower bracts per         inflorescence than plants of ‘Inneuphdia’.

Plants of the new Euphorbia can also be compared to plants of the Euphorbia hypericifolia ‘Balbrewite’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,439. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Heidesheim, Germany, plants of the new Euphorbia differed from plants of ‘Balbrewite’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia were not as compact as plants of         ‘Balbrewite’.     -   2. Plants of the new Euphorbia were not as freely branching as         plants of ‘Balbrewite’.     -   3. Plants of the new Euphorbia had more flower bracts per         inflorescence than plants of ‘Balbrewite’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Euphorbia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Euphorbia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Ineupdidaz’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Ineupdidaz’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and herewith described in detail were grown in 11.5-cm containers during the spring in an outdoor shadehouse in Bonsall, Calif. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Euphorbia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,000 foot-candles. Plants were grown under long day/short night photoinductive conditions to initiate flower development. Plants were pinched one time and were four weeks from planting when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fourth Edition, 2007, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia hypericifolia ‘Ineupdidaz’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia             hypericifolia identified as code number ch10-2100-10, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia             hypericifolia identified as code number ch10-2101-21, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About eight to ten days at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten to twelve days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 24° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 21° C. to 24° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and             mounded plant habit; inflorescences positioned above and             beyond the foliar plane; vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; when pinched, about             four primary lateral branches each with about six secondary             lateral branches develop.         -   Plant height.—About 18 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 25 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 16 cm. Diameter:             About 2.5 mm. Internode length: About 3.4 cm. Aspect: Mostly             upright to outwardly. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146A; at the nodes,             blushed with close to 182B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 3 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex:             Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Venation pattern:             Pinnate, arcuate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully developed             leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B; venation, close to             N137B. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C;             venation, close to 137C. Petioles: Length: About 2 cm.             Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 146C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are composed of             a single cyathia surrounded with numerous flower bracts             subtending the cyathia; inflorescences positioned above and             beyond the foliar plane; numerous inflorescences develop per             plant.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 1 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 3 mm.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants typically flower from the             spring until the autumn in southern California.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about four to             five days on the plant.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About five to             ten. Length, largest bracts: About 6 mm. Width, largest             bracts: About 2 mm. Shape: Narrowly spatulate. Apex: Rounded             to broadly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Slightly pubescent. Aspect: Mostly horizontal. Venation             pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing and fully             expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to NN155D. Developing             and fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to NN155D.             Flower bract petioles: Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: Less             than 1 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145C.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: One. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Height: About 2 mm. Shape: Globose; sessile. Color: Close to             144A. Nectaries: Nectary development has not been observed             on plants of the new Euphorbia.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Stamen development has not             been observed on plants of the new Euphorbia. Pistils:             Quantity per cyathia: One. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma             shape: Five to six-parted. Stigma color: Close to NN155D.             Style length: Less than 1 mm. Style color: Close to NN155D.             Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Euphorbia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Euphorbia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Euphorbia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Euphorbia plant named ‘Ineupdidaz’ as illustrated and described. 